Cupcake holder

ABSTRACT

The cupcake holder is a single molded plastic device that has a cup shape at the top and a shaft shaped base that extending down from the cup. A single cupcake can be inserted into the cup for holding the cupcake in an upright position. The shaft of the cupcake holder can be inserted into Styrofoam or like materials to display the cupcake in an upright position. The cupcake holder can be used by itself or with multiple cupcake holders to make a display or arrangement for sale or marketing purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For the commercial sale and marketing of gourmet, decorated, ortraditional cupcakes, there are limited ways to present them for displayand merchandising. It is important to see the top surface of thecupcake. Especially if it is a decorated cupcake. Seeing the top surfaceof many types of cupcakes is also relevant for visually identifyingingredients and for its visual appeal to a persons' apatite. Seeing thetop of the cupcake is also important in the selling and merchandising ofany cupcake that is not recognized by a trade name.

For the sale and marketing of gourmet, decorative, traditional, orcommercially-made cupcakes, there are limited methods of displaying themindividually, in an arrangement, or on display that show the top of thecupcake.

An existing method is to place them on a tiered holder. There are manytiered or pre-set format holders or stands. These stands provide eitherpre-determined quantities of individual cupcake holders or multi-layer“selves” to place cupcakes on.

These methods limit the ability to sell cupcakes in specific quantitiesor integrate cupcakes with other edible items in a display orarrangement.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cupcake holder is a single molded plastic device that has a cupshape at the top and a shaft shaped base that extending down from thecup. The walls of the cup shape are four flaps. This design provides anopen top of the cup shape, in which a cupcake can be inserted, forholding a cupcake in an upright position.

The cupcake holder is designed to hold any type of traditional cupcake,regardless of ingredients, in an upright position, that allows the topsurface of the cupcake to be viewed. The cupcake holder is designed tohold a single cupcake, by placing the lower portion of the cupcakewithin the base of the cup, in between the four flaps of the cup.

The cupcake holder provides a method of displaying any single cupcake byitself, or when multiple cupcake holders are used together in uprightpositions, they can be used to make an arrangement or display. Thismethod would allow the observation of the cupcakes top surfaces, to viewdecorated surface(s) or ingredient(s) of the cupcakes.

The cupcake holder expands the ability to market and sell any type ofcupcake individually, in arrangements, and gift displays.

Cupcakes are usually made in a baking cup or liner. The cupcake holdercan also be used to hold any other ingredients that can be put into abaking cup, in which cupcakes are made, such as muffins, corn bread, oredible treats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cupcake holder with broken line of acupcake to show usage;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a back elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a left elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a right elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective close up view of the notches on the back side ofthe shaft of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is an example of a perspective view of multiple cupcake holdersused in arrangement thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The cupcake holder is a single molded piece of plastic that has a cupshape at the top and a shaft extending down from the cup. The cupcakeholder will be made in an injected mold process. The plastic used is a“food-safe” plastic. The cupcake holder can be made in a variety ofcolored plastics. The variety of colors will allow coordinating thecolored cupcake holder(s) for use with various holidays, themed events,and occasions. In example: Orange and/or Black for Halloween. Red,White, and Blue for the 4^(th) of July.

The cupcake holder is made in three different sizes. The three sizesaccommodate most cupcake sizes. There is a cupcake holder for mini-sizecupcakes, a cupcake holder for regular-size cupcakes, and a cupcakeholder for jumbo-size cupcakes.

The mini-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has rounded surfacesand oval shapes in its design. The cup section of the mini-size cupcakeholder is 1.5 inches across in width at the top. The inside base of thecup is 1.00 inch across. The four oval shaped flap sections that makethe walls of the cup are 0.5 inch high. The flaps are 0.125 inches thickat the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the top of the flap.

The shaft part of the mini-size cupcake holder is centered on the bottomof the cup and extends down 11 inches long. It is square in shape withone of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flap surfaces of themini-size cupcake holder. The top section of the shaft closest to thecup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inch square inshape at the bottom.

The regular-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has roundedsurfaces and oval shapes in its design. The cup section of theregular-size cupcake holder is 2.75 inches across in width at the top.The inside base of the cup is 2 inches across. The four oval shaped flapsections that make the walls of the cup are 0.75 inch high. The flapsare 0.125 inches thick at the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the topof the flap.

The shaft part of the regular-size cupcake holder is centered on thebottom of the cup and extends down 11 inches long. It is square in shapewith one of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flap surfaces ofthe regular-size cupcake holder. The top section of the shaft closest tothe cup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inch squarein shape at the bottom.

The jumbo-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has roundedsurfaces and oval shapes in its design. The cup section of thejumbo-size cupcake holder is 3.00 inches across in width at the top. Theinside base of the cup is 2.25 inches across. The four oval shaped flapsections that make the walls of the cup are 1.25 inch high. The flapsare 0.125 inches thick at the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the topof the flap.

The shaft part of the jumbo-size cupcake holder is centered on thebottom of the cup and extends down 10.75 inches long. It is square inshape with one of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flapsurfaces of the jumbo-size cupcake holder. The top section of the shaftclosest to the cup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125inch square in shape at the bottom.

The shaft of the cupcake holders can be cut to various lengths forproviding different heights in an arrangement or display. The back sideof the shaft has horizontal notches on the flat surface spaced every 1inch from the top of the shaft to the bottom of the shaft. These notchesare 0.03125 deep into back surface of the shaft. These are used asguides for cutting the shaft.

For use of the cupcake holder, take a single cupcake, and insert thecupcake into the top open cup area of the cupcake holder, between thefour flaps. Press the cupcake down into the cupcake holder until itreaches the bottom of the cup area.

The cupcake holder's shaft portion can be inserted into materials tohold it in place in an upright position. In example, the shaft can beinserted into Styrofoam. The square edges of the shaft prevent thecupcake holder from rotating or twisting when inserted into firmmaterials. The cupcake holder can be used with other cupcake holders tomake an arrangement or display.

Example to make a cupcake arrangement. A bowl, pot, or basket, can usedas a base container. A piece of Styrofoam can be placed in thecontainer. The shafts of the cupcake holders can be inserted into theStyrofoam in an upright arrangement. Cupcakes can then be inserted intothe cupcake holders. Food-safe tissue or other decorative materials canbe added around the base of the cupcake holders shafts for a decorativeeffect.

What is claimed is:
 1. The cupcake holder is a device comprising of asingle molded piece of plastic that has a cup shape at the top and ashaft extending down from the cup.
 2. The cupcake holder of claim 1,wherein will be made in an injected mold process.
 3. The cupcake holderof claim 1, wherein the plastic used is a “food-safe” plastic.
 4. Thecupcake holder of claim 1, wherein The cupcake holder can be made in avariety of colored plastics.
 5. The cupcake holder of claim 4, whereinthe variety of colors will allow coordinating the colored cupcakeholder(s) for use with various holidays, themed events, and occasions.6. The cupcake holder of claim 5, wherein example: Orange and/or Blackfor Halloween. Red, White, and Blue for the 4^(th) of July.
 7. Thecupcake holder of claim 1, wherein the cupcake holder is made in threedifferent sizes.
 8. The cupcake holder of claim 7, wherein the threesizes accommodate most cupcake sizes.
 9. The cupcake holder of claim 7,wherein there is a cupcake holder for mini-size cupcakes.
 10. Thecupcake holder of claim 7, wherein there is a cupcake holder forregular-size cupcakes.
 11. The cupcake holder of claim 7, wherein thereis a cupcake holder for jumbo-size cupcakes.
 12. The cupcake holder ofclaim 9, wherein the mini-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area hasrounded surfaces and oval shapes in its design.
 13. The cupcake holderof claim 9, wherein the cup section of the mini-size cupcake holder is1.5 inches across in width at the top.
 14. The cupcake holder of claim9, wherein the inside base of the cup is 1.00 inch across.
 15. Thecupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the four oval shaped flap sectionsthat make the walls of the cup are 0.5 inch high.
 16. The cupcake holderof claim 9, wherein the flaps are 0.125 inches thick at the bottom to0.0625 inches thick at the top of the flap.
 17. The cupcake holder ofclaim 9, wherein the shaft part of the mini-size cupcake holder iscentered on the bottom of the cup and extends down 11 inches long. 18.The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein the shaft is square in shape withone of the flat surfaces parallel with one of the flap surfaces of themini-size cupcake holder.
 19. The cupcake holder of claim 9, wherein thetop section of the shaft closest to the cup is 0.25 inches square inshape and tappers to 0.125 inch square in shape at the bottom.
 20. Thecupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the regular-size cupcake holders'form of the cup area has rounded surfaces and oval shapes in its design.21. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the cup section of theregular-size cupcake holder is 2.75 inches across in width at the top.22. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the inside base of the cupis 2 inches across.
 23. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the fouroval shaped flap sections that make the walls of the cup are 0.75 inchhigh.
 24. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the flaps are 0.125inches thick at the bottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the top of theflap.
 25. The cupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the shaft part of theregular-size cupcake holder is centered on the bottom of the cup andextends down 11 inches long.
 26. The cupcake holder of claim 10, whereinthe shaft is square in shape with one of the flat surfaces parallel withone of the flap surfaces of the regular-size cupcake holder.
 27. Thecupcake holder of claim 10, wherein the top section of the shaft closestto the cup is 0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inchsquare in shape at the bottom.
 28. The cupcake holder of claim 11,wherein the jumbo-size cupcake holders' form of the cup area has roundedsurfaces and oval shapes in its design.
 29. The cupcake holder of claim11, wherein the cup section of the jumbo-size cupcake holder is 3.00inches across in width at the top.
 30. The cupcake holder of claim 11,wherein the inside base of the cup is 2.25 inches across.
 31. Thecupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the four oval shaped flap sectionsthat make the walls of the cup are 1.25 inch high.
 32. The cupcakeholder of claim 11, wherein the flaps are 0.125 inches thick at thebottom to 0.0625 inches thick at the top of the flap.
 33. The cupcakeholder of claim 11, wherein the shaft part of the jumbo-size cupcakeholder is centered on the bottom of the cup and extends down 10.75inches long.
 34. The cupcake holder of claim 11, wherein the shaft issquare in shape with one of the flat surfaces parallel with one of theflap surfaces of the jumbo-size cupcake holder.
 35. The cupcake holderof claim 11, wherein the top section of the shaft closest to the cup is0.25 inches square in shape and tappers to 0.125 inch square in shape atthe bottom.
 36. The cupcake holder of claim 1, wherein the shaft of thecupcake holders can be cut to various lengths for providing differentheights in an arrangement or display.
 37. The cupcake holder of claim36, wherein the back side of the shaft has horizontal notches on theflat surface spaced every 1 inch from the top of the shaft to the bottomof the shaft.
 38. The cupcake holder of claim 37, wherein these notchesare 0.03125 deep into back surface of the shaft.
 39. The cupcake holderof claim 37, wherein these are used as guides for cutting the shaft. 40.The cupcake holder of claim 1, wherein for use of the cupcake holder,take a single cupcake, and insert the cupcake into the top open cup areaof the cupcake holder, between the four flaps.
 41. The cupcake holder ofclaim 40, wherein press the cupcake down into the cupcake holder untilit reaches the bottom of the cup area.
 42. The cupcake holder of claim40, wherein the cupcake holders shaft portion can be inserted intomaterials to hold it in place in an upright position.
 43. The cupcakeholder of claim 42, wherein example, the shaft can be inserted intoStyrofoam.
 44. The cupcake holder of claim 42, wherein the square edgesof the shaft prevent the cupcake holder from rotating or twisting wheninserted into firm materials.
 45. The cupcake holder of claim 40,wherein the cupcake holder can be used with other cupcake holders tomake an arrangement or display.
 46. The cupcake holder of claim 1,wherein example to make a cupcake arrangement.
 47. The cupcake holder ofclaim 46, wherein a bowl, pot, or basket, can used as a base container.A piece of Styrofoam can be placed in the container.
 48. The cupcakeholder of claim 46, wherein the shafts of the cupcake holders can beinserted into the Styrofoam in an upright arrangement.
 49. The cupcakeholder of claim 46, wherein cupcakes can then be inserted into thecupcake holders.
 50. The cupcake holder of claim 46, wherein food-safetissue or other decorative materials can be added around the base of thecupcake holders shafts for a decorative effect.